Chinese Leaves Porto Santo ; Savoy Hopes ; CR737 ; Creches Stretched & Unqualified
(13th June). Today’s main news headline : Porto Santo Closes Chinese Shop – The challenge started 3 months ago, with a petition of signatures to condemn the "invasion". The case involved SEF, Police, and the courts. The shop, in a building on the golden isle, hasn’t opened for two days’. The owner of the shop was up in court last week, and was ordered to leave the country as he was not legally allowed to be here. The clothes and accessories shop has now closed down. The case, according to the Diário, has been a considerable conflict over the last 3 months, since a petition with 25 signatures of local businessmen was given to the council. OK it was all resolved through the proper channels in the end, but from what I have read it seems some may detect a slight whiff of racism left hanging in the air. (SEF = Service for foreigners and border controls).
‘Roque Gives Hope To Personnel At The Savoy’. At a time when the Savoy Hotel is going through a controversial stage for dismissal of over a hundred workers, Horacio Roque gives a public guarantee that the company will give job priority in the new hotel to be built to former staff. The administrator of SIET that operates the soon to be demolished hotel, wished to give a sign of recognition to all those soon to be unemployed. There there, didn’t hurt that much did it, and after all it will probably take years anyway … but will he want the redundancy money refunded? And what about that rude cleaner and clumsy waiterperson, surely you’re not going to employ them again?
‘Real Madrid Pays For Ronaldo 57 Times His Weight In Gold’. That’s the headline from the Spanish newspaper ‘El Mundo’ (didn’t know I could read Spanish did you? nor did I until today). The Diário has a picture showing several Spanish newspapers, all featuring Cristiano on the front page. The Diário headline for it’s own news article is ‘Transfer Of Ronaldo Shocks – Spanish in crisis criticise so many millions spent. And there is one person of Portuguese descent in baseball that actually earns more than Cristiano’. The Diário also points out that a CR7 costs more than a Boeing 737 (although I reworded it to make it sound funnier). In fact perhaps he should now be known as CR737, what do you think?
‘Earth Tremors In South Africa Damage Houses Of Emigrant Madeirans – Four families were forced to leave their houses after hours of continuous violent tremors’. I don’t think we have much interest in emigrants living in South Africa, but of course I hope it sorts itself out OK.
The government of Madeira has decided to increase the price of fuel again, and from Monday petrol will go up to €1.20 a litre, whilst diesel will go up to €0.931.
‘Creches : Law Regulates Breaking Point. Before the existing void, only a legal intervention will be able to define what constitutes minimum services’. This goes back to the story a couple of days ago about a court case that decided that public creche services were not essential, leaving the government free to provide just a minimum service level. That means there are now just 6 creches on this island, and nearly a thousand children enrolled to use them. Now it seems no one has any idea what ‘minimum services’ actually means, and the creches themselves are being staffed by auxiliaries rather than child care professionals, just to confuse the issue.
The two public holidays Wednesday and Thursday saw 22 road accidents, resulting in two seriously injured and two light injuries. 10 arrests were made for drink driving, half of them in Santa Cruz.
The minister of health from the Portuguese government is here at a convention of charity organisations involved in health care. Ana Jorge welcomed the idea of constructing a new public hospital on Madeira, but wouldn’t commit herself on whether the state would stump up the money, or contribute. However, she added that it is a matter also under investigation by her colleagues in government, particularly in terms of finances, but there was no decision to announce yet. Of course not, that will be in the week before the national elections in 3 or 4 months, if the answer is yes, or later if no. Silly question Sr. Reporter!
She was also questioned on the subject that dominates the world headlines, influenza A and the maximum degree of alert decreed by the World Health Organization. The minister stressed that the entire national system is ready to tackle the problem, and that the testing undertaken when bird flu broke out will be capitalized in the prevention of the current pandemic. Ana Jorge also stressed the good cooperation that exists between central and regional health authorities. So flying pigs really do exist?
You may have noticed that I couldn’t resist a spoof article today … sorry, but I thought I had better come clean in case someone took the tsunami threat seriously, and I have been preparing you for this for two weeks. I bet for some it didn’t even register.
